Falken Confirms New Porsche 911 RSR for 2014

Photo: Team Falken Tire

Team Falken Tire will continue its sports car racing program program next year with Porsche, it was confirmed Wednesday. The team is set to campaign the first customer version of the new 911 RSR in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

The Derrick Walker-led organization, which won last month’s ALMS series-ending Petit Le Mans, has retained its core driver lineup, with Bryan Sellers and Porsche factory driver Wolf Henzler set to handle driving duties of the 991-based Porsche in the GT Le Mans category.

Due to time constraints, the team will forgo the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona and start the year at the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March, ahead of a planned effort for the remainder of 2014.

The Falken squad was the opportunity to test the new car privately prior to last month’s Petit Le Mans.

“It’s great to see Falken continuing on into the United SportsCar Series,” said team manager Walker. “The commitment they’ve given to racing has been amazing. They’re a very determined company to produce quality tires in the toughest environment.

“When you look at the new 911, it’s a bigger step from the current car in terms of optimizing what it needs for a very competitive GT series. It will have all the things every racer needs: more downforce, lighter, more power, more grip, more mechanical grip. Porsche is continuing to make a serious commitment to GT racing and I couldn’t be happier.”

Sellers, who has been with Team Falken Tire since its inception in 2009, added: “It’s very important I have continuity in a program and I am glad Wolf and Derrick will be returning as part of the program as well. I am very hopeful for the future of our program.”

Falken joins the previously announced two-car factory effort from Porsche as the only teams expected to run the new 991-based RSR in North America.

As many as 12 cars are expected for the GTLM class next year, which will be largely made up of works entries.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John